Hearing aids are portable hearing devices that serve to support those who are hard-of-hearing. In order to cater for the numerous individual requirements, different designs of hearing aids are provided such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), in-the-ear hearing aids (ITE) and concha hearing aids. The hearing aids listed as examples are worn on the exterior of the ear or in the auditory canal. But there are in addition also bone-conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrotactile hearing aids available on the market. Thereby the impaired sense of hearing is stimulated either mechanically or electrically.
In principle, as essential components, hearing aids have an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer. The input transducer is, as a rule, a sound pickup, e.g. a microphone, and/or an electromagnetic receiver, e.g. an induction coil. The output transducer is usually realized as an electro acoustic transducer, e.g. miniature loudspeaker, or as an electromechanical transducer, e.g. bone conduction receiver. The amplifier is usually integrated into a signal processing unit. This basic design is shown in FIG. 1 using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid. One or several microphones 2 for picking up ambient sound are installed in a hearing aid housing 1 for wearing behind the ear. A signal processing unit 3, which is also integrated into the hearing aid housing 1, processes the microphone signals and amplifies them. The output signal of the signal processing unit 3 is transmitted to a loudspeaker or receiver 4, which outputs an acoustic signal. The sound is transmitted if necessary to the eardrum of the hearing aid wearer via an acoustic tube which is fixed with an otoplastic in the auditory canal. A battery 5 which is also integrated into the hearing aid housing 1 provides the power supply to the hearing aid and in particular to the signal processing unit 3.
Modern digital hearing aids can be configured in many ways so they can be adapted to the individual hearing aid wearer. Nevertheless it cannot be predicted how the hearing impaired person copes with the settings of the device. The environment in which the hearing aid wearer moves is varied, and, therefore, with certain sound backgrounds, unforeseen problems may arise, where, for example, the hearing sensation is unpleasant or there are problems with understanding speech. In some cases, the user's perception of the noise generated by the hearing aid also depends on the emotional state of the user. Such factors cannot be taken into account technically and result in a dissatisfaction of the user with his device that is difficult to explain objectively.
With modern hearing aids, during the so-called data logging, information is recorded about the user's environment in order to support adaptation to the typical environment. The publication EP 1 367 857 A1, for example, shows a data recording method of this kind. According to the information given there, hearing aid variables are recorded, which contain, for example, logical states of control elements that can be controlled by the user or parameter values of digital signal processors. By means of a recording both of the hearing aid variables and also of the input signal data it is possible to recognize correlations between predetermined signal events in the input signal data and hearing aid operations.
In addition, the patent specification DE 102004025691 B3 describes a hearing aid with an operating device. The acoustic hearing environment, in which the hearing aid is located, is analyzed, and, according to the hearing situation thus recognized, an adjustment function according to the respective hearing situation is assigned to the operating element. The setting capability of the hearing aid is thus limited to the setting capabilities that are appropriate for the respective hearing situation.
Configuring information signals freely in the case of hearing aids is known from the publication EP 1 624 721 A2. This serves to better inform the user as to specific settings or states of his/her hearing aid. Thus the user can find out for example whether the actual hearing situation was correctly recognized by the classifier, as it contains corresponding information material. Thus the user can check the current setting of his/her hearing aid.